Hepatic Fibrogenesis In Paediatric Cholestatic Liver Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$254,250.00
Summary
Liver disease in children causes a significant impact on lifespan and quality of life. The commonest causes of liver disease in children are cholestatic, or diseases related to obstruction of bile flow out of the liver. In ways we are only beginning to understand, obstruction of bile flow stimulates liver scar formation which, if untreated, leads to replacement of normal liver tissue and ultimately to failure of the liver. In infants, the most common and serious cholestatic liver disease is bili ....Liver disease in children causes a significant impact on lifespan and quality of life. The commonest causes of liver disease in children are cholestatic, or diseases related to obstruction of bile flow out of the liver. In ways we are only beginning to understand, obstruction of bile flow stimulates liver scar formation which, if untreated, leads to replacement of normal liver tissue and ultimately to failure of the liver. In infants, the most common and serious cholestatic liver disease is biliary atresia. It develops at, or shortly after birth with progressive destruction of the bile ducts, responsible for transporting bile out of the liver. Without early diagnosis and surgery these infants develop progressive liver scarring leading to liver failure and death or liver transplantation within 1-2 years. It is the commonest reason for liver transplantation in children (55-60%) in the Western world. Even with successful surgery, most, if not all patients will come to liver transplantation over the subsequent 25 years because of ongoing, but slower, scar formation. In older children, diseases like cystic fibrosis cause bile duct blockages leading to progressive liver scarring that is slower and unpredictable, contributing to ill health in up to 20% of patients and death from end stage liver disease or liver transplantation in 5%. Using liver tissue from children with these two disorders we have been able to identify the key cells that control the liver scar process, the Hepatic Stellate Cell. We now need to investigate the role of bile constituents on the scar-forming process in these two diseases. We will utilise a well characterised animal model to investigate the influence of bile constituents on cells isolated from this model and apply these findings back to patient samples to determine their role in paediatric cholestatic liver disease. This will help us to better understand the disease process and importantly, develop more effective and earlier treatment.Read moreRead less
Early Environmental Determinants Of Pancreatic Islet Autoimmunity: A Pregnancy To Early Life Cohort Study In Children At Risk Of Type 1 Diabetes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,124,069.00
Summary
The doubling in incidence of type 1 diabetes in children over the last 20 years may be explained by our modern environment, including excessive weight gain in pregnancy and early life, inadequate dietary omega- 3 fatty acids or vitamin D, or viral infections. We therefore aim to study children with a family member with type 1 diabetes from the pregnancy and through early childhood to determine the effects of the environment on their risk of developing type 1 diabetes .This will lead to strategie ....The doubling in incidence of type 1 diabetes in children over the last 20 years may be explained by our modern environment, including excessive weight gain in pregnancy and early life, inadequate dietary omega- 3 fatty acids or vitamin D, or viral infections. We therefore aim to study children with a family member with type 1 diabetes from the pregnancy and through early childhood to determine the effects of the environment on their risk of developing type 1 diabetes .This will lead to strategies to prevent type 1 diabetes.Read moreRead less
Centre Of Research Excellence For The Protection Of Pancreatic Beta Cells
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,607,110.00
Summary
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disorder that results in the destruction of the pancreatic beta cells. The overall aim of the CRE is to elucidate the gene-environment interactions and modifiable environmental exposures that are driving the development of islet autoimmunity and progression to T1D. The CRE will unify and add value to new and established collaborations with multi-disciplinary input from genomics, bioinformatics and systems biology into the investigation of T1D.
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR140100001
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$35,000,000.00
Summary
The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Australian Type 1 Diabetes Research Network and Program. This Proposal continues the development of the initial Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Research Network (CRN), launched by JDRF in June 2011 with a $5m grant from the Australian Government.
The principal goal of the CRN is to positively impact the life of people with T1D in Australia through the support and promotion of clinical research. A further electoral commitment of $35m over 5 years will enable f ....The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Australian Type 1 Diabetes Research Network and Program. This Proposal continues the development of the initial Type 1 Diabetes Clinical Research Network (CRN), launched by JDRF in June 2011 with a $5m grant from the Australian Government.
The principal goal of the CRN is to positively impact the life of people with T1D in Australia through the support and promotion of clinical research. A further electoral commitment of $35m over 5 years will enable further progress towards finding a cure for T1D, including delivering better and faster access to new therapies and treatments that can help prevent and manage the disease.
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Viral Triggers Of Autoimmunity And Type 1 Diabetes: A Prospective Study Of At Risk Children
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$475,106.00
Summary
We are studying the role of viruses in causing type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes. By following babies from birth, we can see whether early signs of damage to the body's insulin producing cells results from infection with particular viruses. We will study the genes and other features of these viruses to help us understand why they cause diabetes, and how they relate to other factors such as diet and vitamin D. The results may provide valuable information for the future prevention of diabetes.